After Death
by Comin2U
Summary: My version of Wally's return from the speed force. One shot. SPITFIRE


**My version of Wally West's return from the Speed Force. ONE SHOT!**

 _Come on West! You're almost there!_ Wally encouraged himself as sparks of light surrounded him. It was ironic. He had been surrounded by a tube of light for the past however long he had been in this place, and his entire visit there had been spent running!

He knew he had to get out of the endless tunnel of light, he couldn't focus enough to actually figure out where he was. The only thing he could think about was... her. He could picture her in his head, her blond hair, her grey eyes. His archer.

 _Got to get to Artemis!_ he pushed himself as the sparks became more intense and started to burn and hurt him. He tried to brush off the pain, focusing only on the idea of her. The smell of her hair, the feeling of her skin on his, her lips on his. He imagined her face when he came home, he imagined a family with her, he imagined Brucely even.

He squinted at the force and wind that was bothering his eyes, causing them to water, but he didn't dare to close them in the far that he would run into something and be stuck here even longer.

The number of sparks multiplied as he neared what he could only later assume was his max speed. He felt the wind around him change and everything dim in lighting. The next thing he knew the hard floor that had a stone feel to it turned softer and crunched under his racing feet. He felt something completely different under his feet then what he had become use to, and the air that had been warm turned into a below freezing feel.

As soon as the feeling beneath his feet he tried to stop. His feet took a moment to stop racing, having done so for so long. He skidded across the surface of the ground before coming to a stop. He was panting hard, like really hard, he hadn't ran like that in ages!

He looked around him to see that he was standing on top of frozen snow and the path behind him was on fire from friction. Was he really going that fast? He noticed that he was in the Arctic, the last place he had been before the tunnel of light. He could finally focus, he could finally do something other than run, but first he had to run.

He took off running South down towards Palo Alto. He needed to see her first, he would say even if it killed him but then he couldn't see her. He made it to his and Artemis's old house in record time, 2 hours and 13 minutes. It was faster than he had ever gone before. When he got there he was frozen into shock.

The building in front of him looked nothing like what he'd last seen. The house that had been his home for a good number of years was not abandoned, the framing of the house burned and chared. The ceiling had caved in and the door was hanging open hanging off only the bottom hinge. He slowly stepped forwards walking onto the burned down house.

He walked under a fallen ceiling beam, making sure not to hit his head. He padded over towards his and Artemis's old room. He needed a change of clothes. He sifted through the layers of dirt and stacks of boxes before coming across a red turtleneck Artemis had gotten for him one Christmas. He took off the torn Kid Flash outfit he was still wearing replacing it for the turtleneck and black jeans.

He sighed as he looked down at the torn costume. How long had he been gone?

Before Wally could do anything else he felt a breeze blow through the house. He automatically knew that it wasn't just nature. He turned his head to see two kids around the age of 10 or 11 with red hair like his, a girl and a boy.

"You're on private property mister," the girl stated looking over Wally with her blue eyes. Wally only noticed now that her hair was ever so slightly lighter than her companion's, leaning towards a strawberry blond. She wore a superhero costume that resembled the boy's next to her. Both costumes looked to be a spin off of Bart's impulse costume.

"Whose property?" Wally asked, "Got to know who I'm offending."

"The Justice League," the boy responded, his red hair a little lighter then Wally's.

Wally's eyes widened as those three words set in.

Before Wally could answer the girl looked past him to the bed where an open box of his clothes sat, the torn kid flash suit next to it. She superspeed past him grabbing the costume from the bed.

"WHERE DID YOU GET THIS!?" She exclaimed.

"Give it back," Wally growled, "That's mine."

The boy looked between his partner and back to Wally taking in West's red hair that almost matched his own.

"You're Wally West," the boy guessed looking between the torn Kid Flash costume and Wally himself, "You're the first Kid Flash."

"I am..." Wally replied after slightly hesitating, The _first_ Kid Flash? "Now mind telling me who you are?"

"Should we tell him or take him back to the Watchtower first?" the girl asked.

"Watchtower... Dad's going to want to see this," the boy replied.

"Can you two explain what's happening?" Wally asked in confusion.

"Nope... but for now can you come with us to the Watchtower? They should be able to explain everything there," the boy responded and he lead Wally down the hallway to the kitchen where the girl was waiting by the stove.

"It's up and running," she stated as a boom tube appeared.

Wally didn't even have the time to ask why his stove was now a boom tube. He was thrown back into a tunnel of light. He almost started to have a panic attack that he'd been dreaming about getting out. He couldn't go back. Before the attack could fully settle in a robotic voice cut through his thoughts as he stumbled back onto stable surface.

 **C-03, C-04, Tornadotwins, B-03 Kid Flash**

"Don! Dawn!" a voice yelled catching not only the two kid's attention but also Wally's attention.

He looked towards the voice to see a 23 year old boy in his own Kid Flash costume walking towards them. His eyes were wide at the sight of seeing... himself.

"Where the hell did you two go!? Your father was worried sick about you!" the man asked the two, then he noticed Wally his eyes going wide, "Wally?"

Then it clicked for Wally.

"Bart?" he stuttered in shock.

A smile grew on Barts face as he super speeded over and engulfed his 1st cousin, once removed.

"Dude look at you! You're like old!" Wally exclaimed after the two had hugged it out.

"Hey! I'm only 23! You're the old one at 31!" Bart snickered back.

Now this shocked Wally. 10 years... he had been gone for 10 years... He had left Artemis for 10 years. He was soooo dead.

"Wally?!" Wally!? Come on man... don't space on me. That's not crash," Bart fretted.

"10.. 10 years?" Wally stuttered.

"Ya man... Now come on, let's go.. the others are going to want to see you," Bart suggested knowing he had to get Wally off the fact he had missed 10 years.

"Ya... that's a good idea," He stammered.

The two 10 year old kids, Don and Dawn stood on the side taking to each other.

"First! Wally meet the Tornado twins! Don and Dawn!" Bart chimed introducing the two kids who Wally quickly realized were Barry's kids. Bart's father and aunt, "Kid's meet your famous Uncle Wally!"

"Hi!" the girl Wally could only assume was Dawn, "It's nice to finally meet you!"

Don gave a small wave before Wally was rushed out of the room by Bart.

"Alright! Nightwing first! He and Kaldar are going to be so shocked to see you!" Bart exclaimed in excitement.

He lead Wally down a long hallway, crowded and full of new and old superheroes. Bart weaved through them, Wally quickly following as the two made their way to the main control room.

"Nightwing!" Bart yelled as he entered the Young Justice's command room where Nightwing was running a few missions.

The black headed boy turned his head to see Bart come into the room not noticing Wally just yet.

"Kid! Are the Allen Twins back!?" Nightwing demanded to know.

"Yep. And they brought company," Bart replied.

"Who would they bring back?" Nightwing asked as he turned around to look at the two kid flashes. His eyes landed on Wally.

"Wally!?" He exclaimed catching the attention of Kaldur who had just come into the room.

"Hey dude," the speedster replied.

"Man! How are you here!?" Nightwing demanded to know as he took Wally's hand and brought him in for a bro hug.

"Don't even know bro," Wally replied.

"Wally. It is good to see you my friend," Kaldur stated smiling at the red head.

"It's good to see you too Kaldur. Now mind telling me what happened? Last thing I remember is trying to divert the energy into space," Wally asked, curiosity finally getting the better of him.

The smiles on Kaldur's, Bart's, and Nightwing's smiles fled from their faces. Wally had struck something, he just wasn't sure if it was gold or an old bomb.

"What? What is it?" Wally questioned.

"You disappeared... the energy ate away at you... and you just disappeared, you died," Nightwing responded, his voice brittle.

Wally tried not to look shocked at his. He was apparently supposed to be dead, there was probably a death certificate laying somewhere. He had missed 10 years old life. He had missed Barry's twins growing up and becoming the cool Uncle Wally. He had missed the chance to see the teamwork in the same station as the League. And he had missed starting a family with Artemis.

"Wally? Wally?" Nightwing stated snapping his fingers in front of the speedster's eyes trying to bring them back to Earth.

"I want to see them," Wally mumbled.

"See who? Who do you want to see?" Bart inquired.

"Everyone. I want to see Uncle Barry, I want to see Aunt Iris... I want to see Artemis," Wally responded, "I want to see my family.

The three superheroes all looked at each other.

"He has a right," Bart remarked.

"Agreed," Kaldur added.

"Alright. Barry's on his way back from a mission right now. I can have Iris here within 10 minutes... the hard one is going to be Artemis," Nightwing reported turning back to the control pad.

"I can get her," Bart answered, "I'm probably the only one who can get her up here."

Nightwing nodded and watched the grandson of the Flash bolted out of the room to the nearest boom tube.

"What's going on with Artemis?" Wally asked.

Nightwing sighed, "Let's just say after you..." he paused, "Left, we sort of lost connect."

"Impossible," Wally spat, "You're family D... what actually happened?"

Dick turned to look at his friend, "We had an argument. She blamed me for your, death. I quit the team for almost two years and fell into a dark place. Babs was the only one who managed to get me out of my drunken state. I'd been out of the loop for 2 years Wally. When I went other to Artemis's place... let's just say she wasn't happy to see me. She had been forced to quit the team apparently after I left. She still helps out now a days but she blames us all for losing you."

Wally was shocked into silence. He had expected his death to affect everyone, but for that to happen? He hadn't expected that, he always thought Dick would help Artemis through everything.

"Why was she forced the quit the team?" Wally asked, anger filling him. He clenched his fists.

"You'll understand when she comes... it's not my surprice to reveal," Dick responded, "Now come on... Iris and Barry just got here."

Wally knew he couldn't force the acrobat to tell him. Nothing would crack the first robin. The two made their way down the hallways heading towards the conference room of the tower. It was the only sound proof conference room in existence, and Dick knew they were going to need it. A lot of people were going to be yelling at Wally.

Barry Allen was already pacing around the conference room when the duo got there, his two children biting their tongues. His twins weren't talking, and that never meant anything good. The twins were always talking. This had to be something big if it brought Iris to the tower and shut up his kids.

So as soon as the door opened Barry started talking at superspeed.

"Nightwing! What happened!" the Flash exclaimed so fast that even Wally's ears almost didn't catch it. Wally wasn't sure how Dick did it but he somehow made out Barry's rushed words. Dick had made Wally put on a hat to cover his red hair before they had walked into the room so that everyone would know at the same time. He'd been keeping his head down the whole time so that his aunt and uncle didn't recognize him.

"Flash, calm down," Dick stated, "We have to wait... Bart's getting Artemis."

"Artemis is coming?" Iris asked in shock standing up from her seat in between the twins.

Dick nodded.

It was at that moment the door to the room slide open behind Dick.

"IREY! Get back here!" a voice yelled as a 9 year old girl raced into the room at superspeed. The girl had red hair like Wally's and grey eyes. She paid no attention to the calling of her name. Instead she ran over to Dawn, skidding to a stop in front of the girl.

Only now did Wally turn his head to look at the door. His heart rate accelerated at the sight of her blond hair, her piercing brown eyes. She had grown her hair a good 2 inches longer in the time since he had last saw her. Next to her walked a small 9 year old boy with blond hair like hers and his green eyes.

Artemis sent a glare over towards Dick but continued in walking over to Iris to say a quick hello.

"Alright, everyone's here! Now what's going on!?" Barry insisted to know.

Dick closed locked the door to the conference room quickly before looking to Wally who knew this was his cue.

Wally took his hat off running a hand through his hair to get it's usual ruffled look that had been flattened by the hat. He looked up towards his family, his eyes locking with Artemis's as his identity came to light.

"Wally?!" Barry blurted out in shock at the sight of his nephew.

Wally didn't answer. He didn't take his eyes off of Artemis who didn't take her eyes off of him. He knew she couldn't believe it. He knew that she wouldn't just accept him. Wally slowly walked over to his archer. She just watched him.

"Artemis?" he stuttered lowly

"You're dead," was the reply he got. She was denying, just like he knew she would.

"I'm not. I'm right here, aren't I?" Wally answered justering to himself, " I'm back now."

Artemis's face stayed flat, no emotions showing. She was still in denial. This had to be a clone or something, this couldn't be Wally. This couldn't be the man she lost 10 years ago. She had learned to accept a long time ago that Wally West had died up in the Arctic. It took her months, no, YEARS, to get over the fact that he was dead.

"You're not real," she mumbled, now starting to think this was all a dream she was having. No a nightmare. She'd had them before, just never this vivid.

"He is Artemis," Bart confirmed, "The Tornados found him in your old house."

Artemis turned to look at Bart. Bart would never lie to her. In the past 10 years he had been the one to get her back into society after shutting down.

Barry looked at his kids, now understanding why they had held their tongues before.

She looked back at Wally who stood less than 3 feet away from her. He was respecting her space.

"Tell me only something Wally and I would know," Artemis ordered.

Wally froze. He was practically an open book. He looked between the girl that had been called Irey before and the young boy that had Artemis's hair.

He pointed to the girl first, " Iris 'Irey' Jade West," he spoke reciting the young girl's name, "We were going to name her after Aunt Iris, but we wanted something a little different, so we were going to nickname her Irey, Jade of course because of your sister."

Then he pointed to the boy next to Artemis and pointed at him, "Jaiden 'Jai' Allen West, I liked the name Jayden because of Jay since he was a big influence in my life, but you wanted some of your vietnamese heritage in his name so we changed it to Jai. Allen after Uncle Barry's last name."

Tears started to build up in Artemis's eyes. This really was him. Years ago they had discussed the possibility of having children, even coming up with the names for both a boy and a girl. It was a silly idea at the time but those names had always suck with both of them, the other never knowing. They told no one the names.

"You remembered?" she stammered, her voice brittle and on the verge of cracking.

"Of course I remembered!" Wally beamed, "How could I forget? It's one of my favorite memories of us," he replied a smug smile on his face.

Artemis lurched forwards wrapping her boyfriend in a hug. She buried her head into his neck in fear that he would suddenly disappear again. He didn't flinch or hesitate to wrap her in a tight embrace pulling her body closer to his.

He could feel her tears running down his neck as she cried what he could only assume were tears of joy.

"Hey... it's ok... I'm back, I'm not going anywhere again," he vowed, whispering it into her ear as he continued to hug her.

Artemis pulled her head out of his neck and looked up at him, her grey eyes staring into his soul, "You left me...you left me to raise them on my own," she sobbed.

"I know... And I'm never going to do it again. I'm going to be annoying you for a long time. I promise," he vowed once more.

Their eyes stayed locked, never leaving each other's.

"I missed you," she croacked, her voice still brittle.

Wally smiled slightly before bending his head down, letting his lips touch hers. They still felt the same as the last time he had kissed her. No, they felt better, it was weird, Wally could say they felt like home... then again, his home was with Artemis and their family. Maybe the idea wasn't as far fetched as he thought.


End file.
